May 14, 2008

SECAUCUS, N.J. -- Among the shortage of various staples crunching the global community, the United States is coming up short on the demand for food-supply veterinarians.

In a nation recently rocked by the issue of downer cows, in part precipitated by inadequate veterinary inspections, the shortage puts the meat processing industry in a crucial position for maintaining public confidence in healthy, sound meats.

Now, Ohio State University’s Department of Animal Sciences and its College of Veterinary Medicine are co-sponsoring a new program in hopes of easing the need for veterinarians and the lack of qualified professionals.

The school has activated an initiative program which will allow animal science students to apply a semester early for admission into the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Called “Veterinary Early Commitment Program for Students Interested in Food Supply Medicine," it reserves 10 seats for the most qualified students applying in the spring quarter of their second year of study.

The program is a response to a national shortage of food supply veterinarians, said James Kinder, chair of the Department of Animal Sciences.

Between now and 2016, the Food Supply Veterinary Medical Coalition found in its 2006 study, that the demand for food-supply vets will increase by about 13 percent, while the number of these vets will decrease by 4 percent each year.

"Our goal is to obtain students with a strong foundation in food supply medicine and put them on a career track earlier in their academic career," Kinder said in an interview with USAgNet.

Recent studies estimate that for every 100 food-supply veterinary jobs available only 96 vets will be available.

The program, which begins in September and has a June 5 application deadline, is the only early commitment program in veterinary medicine in Ohio. At least five other universities in other states offer similar programs to address the national shortage of food supply veterinarians.

Although admission to veterinary colleges remains competitive, most graduates decide to focus their careers on pets and other companion animals rather than food-producing animals.

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